By Lilly Lewin
* John 6:35: Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.
* John 6:48: I am the bread of life.
What are you hungry for today? What do you really need to be satisfied?
More likely a snickers bar than an apple? A pizza verses a salad?
Does it matter?
What would really quench your thirst? …a large bottle of Aquafina, or a double tall latte from Starbucks? 
What do we fill our plates full of? Our literal plates…are they filled with fast food, junk food, fatty foods? Or healthy, organic, fruits and veg?
Our metaphorical plates? Instagram, Nextflix, sport, meetings, paperwork, mountains of laundry and dishes, and activities for the kids, or homework and classes, work, work and more work…
When you think of bread…what comes to mind? For me it’s the smell of fresh baked bread …then it’s the addition of a slab of butter to that fresh piece of bread.
And when you are really hungry at a restaurant…isn’t great when the bread comes to the table before the meal?
Jesus said, “I am the Bread of Life”
Bread is the staple of life in all countries….and rice might be substituted in this verse if you lived in Asia somewhere…”I am the RICE of life.”
Do we allow Jesus to be the first thing on our plates or the last?
Do we fill our plates with so many other things..even good things that we don’t have room for the fresh homemade bread?
Are we starting with the bread or skipping it?
Starting with Jesus? or making Him an afterthought? Or do we think, I can do that someday, after my diet.
What sustains you? What gives you life? Do you settle for less than real bread? Or, Do you settle for an empty plate because that’s all you think or feel you deserve?
God provided manna from heaven, enough for each day. All they had to do was go out & collect it. One day at a time, just enough for that day because any hoarded leftovers would rot. And gather enough for two days before the sabbath, because none would be available on that day because Sabbath day was about rest, not work.
Are you receiving sustenance for today? Or are you worrying too much about tomorrow?
Are you hoarding stuff that’s just going to rot? Are you settling for an empty plate or rotten bread?
Jesus said that he is the Bread of Life. He is the true Manna from Heaven. Are you willing to let Bread sustain you? Are you willing to let Bread satisfy you today? Each day? One day at a time? What would help you trust in Bread? Can you let Bread fill & satisfy you today?
Jesus said, “Take eat …this is my body.”
Do we really believe? Do we really believe that this Bread will sustain us? And what will help us to believe that Jesus will really satisfy us, that this Bread, loving him and living in his love will really satisfy us and help us never to hunger and thirst after other things? Take some time to consider that this week.
Today, Eat a piece of bread and allow Jesus to satisfy you. Savor the taste. Add Jam or Butter. Truly take time to enjoy the flavor, the texture. Talk to Jesus about where you are with him.
Write down on a Paper Plate all the things you are carrying around, all the things on your plate today. Allow Jesus to carry this plate! Allow Jesus to have this plate. Allow Jesus to clean your plate!
And when you see or smell or and when you eat bread this week, be reminded that Jesus is your source of satisfaction. He is truly the Bread of Life.